NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Austin College women's water polo team out-scored Penn State Behrend 7-0 in the fourth quarter as the 'Roos ran away with a 19-7 victory in the opening round of the CWPA Division III Championships on Friday. The 'Roos are now 7-8 on the year and head to the semifinals against Carthage College on Saturday.
Lexi Wong and Brooke Le combined for a huge day in the pool to pace Austin College offensively, with Wong scoring a program record eight goals while Le also topped the previous Austin College mark with six tallies. Austin College got on the board first with a score from Le, and Presley Woods tallied to make it a 2-0 game with just under six minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Le scored again to make it 3-0, and after PSB found the back of the net twice to cut it to a 3-2 game, Wong put the ball in the goal with eight seconds left to give the 'Roos a two-goal cushion after one.
Wong and Le scored to help the 'Roos get the score to 6-3 early in the second quarter, and after Penn State Behrend answered to cut it back to a two-goal margin, Le scored with 2:43 left in the second quarter to send Austin College into halftime leading 7-4. PSB battled early in the third, cutting it to a 9-7 game, but Austin College would score the final three goals of the quarter to begin to pull away, and carry that momentum into the final period. Overall, the 'Roos ended the game on a 10-0 run that included five goals by Wong, including the final three tallies of the game.
Madison Taylor and Valery Piachonkina led a stellar defensive effort for the 'Roos, with Piachonkina making seven stops in the net. Taylor added a goal in the third quarter. Presley Woods tallied three times in the game, and Shannon Berry rounded out the scoring with a goal.
Austin College takes on Carthage College at 2:15 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, marking the third meeting between the two teams this season. The 'Roos previously defeated Carthage 15-3 on March 3 and 8-7 on March 31.